The last we heard about the Simon Pegg and Nick Frost comedy entitled Paul, they were trying to figure out how they were going to make the CGI titular character appear on-screen. Paul was previously only cast so far as the two leads, Pegg and Frost (who wrote the movie together as well), but today we get news that a brilliant bunch of comedy names have joined the cast: Seth Rogen (voicing Paul), Jason Bateman, Bill Hader, Kristin Wiig and Jane Lynch.

Wow, what a cast!

Paul is about two comic-book/sci-fi geeks who, whilst on a Comic-Con road trip, encounter an escaped alien at Area 51. It's a unique and fun-sounding premise that has a lot of comedic potential. The fact that Pegg and Frost have written it gives it even more credence than it otherwise would have had, and even though Edgar Wright (whom directed the comedy duo in Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz) is nowhere to be found on this one (he's probably far too busy with Scott Pilgrim vs. The World right now). Instead, Superbad's Greg Mottola is on-board to direct.

No word as to who everyone else besides Rogen will play - it's so early in the game that they can't even reveal what the titular Paul will look like. However, with us now knowing that Rogen will voice Paul, we can get at least some sense as to how the character is going to be within the movie: And if I'm being honest I'm not all that thrilled.

Now this is not a knock on Rogen as either a comedic personality or a voice actor, but I would have much preferred a lesser known actor to provide the voice for Paul, that way you are not constantly distracted by the fact you know who's voice it is. To use the example of Ratatouille, I was aware that I knew the voice of Remy (the main rat character) but couldn't quite place it (turned out to be Patton Oswalt). That way it allowed me to accept his voice as the voice of the rat, and not just think about the actor all the time.

With Rogen voicing Paul, I will most likely be distracted by the fact that I know it's Rogen. Unless the CGI visual representation of the character is so well done that it draws me in and keeps me there without thinking about the voice acting. Otherwise, in all likelihood it will distract the hell out of me.

Besides, didn't Rogen recently voice a monster or an alien in some movie I can't remember the name of?...

What do you make of the killer comedy cast assembled for Paul? Do you like the fact that Seth Rogen will be voicing the titled character?

Paul is slated to hit theaters sometime in 2010.

Source: Variety